The High Lord - Chapter 38: The Black Magicians

For the last hour, messengers had reported that the Ichani were slowly making their way towards the Guild, destroying houses as they went. Sonea and Akkarin has hurried to the volunteers, who had dealt with their swift visit with admirable tolerance and courage, then raced back to the Inner Circle. During the journey Sonea has burned with impatience, but as she stepped through the secret door into Lorlen's office she began to wish the journey hadn't passed so quickly. Suddenly her knees were weak, her hands were shaking, and she could not help feeling there must be something they had forgotten to do.

Akkarin paused for a moment to look around the office. He sighed, then shrugged out of his shirt. Sonea pulled the dress over her head and dropped it to the floor. She looked down at herself and shivered. Full magician's robes... black magician's robes...

Then she looked at Akkarin. He stood straighter, taller. A little trill ran down her back, similar to the fear he had once inspired.

Akkarin glances at her and smiled. 'Stop leering at me.'

Sonea blinked innocently. 'Me? Leering?'

His smile widened, then it faded away. He walked up to her and pressed his hands gently against the sides of her face.

'Sonea,' he began, 'if I don't—'

She put a finger to his lips, then pulled his head down so she could kiss him. He pressed his lips hard to hers, then drew her close against him.

'If I could send you far away, I would,' he said. 'But I know you'd just refuse to go. Just... don't do anything impulsive. I watched the first woman I loved die, I don't think I could survive losing the second.'

Sonea drew in a breath in surprise, the smiled.

'I love you, too.'

He chuckled, then kissed her again, but they both froze as a mental voice blared out.

—Akkarin! Akkarin! What a pretty place you have here.

An image of the Guild Gates, and the University beyond, flashed into Sonea's mind.

'They're here,' Akkarin muttered. His arms slid from her shoulders.

'The Arena?'

He signed and pressed his lips together in defeat. 'It's that or the city,' he looked at her and offered his hand, 'come on, we'd better be quick.'

Sonea took Akkarin's hand and straightened her shoulders. With a deep breath they set off through the University towards the Arena.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

'So they've finally arrived,' Balkan murmured.

Rothen looked out at the city. The late afternoon sun sent long shadows across the streets. As he watched, three men stepped out and started towards the Guild Gates.

'What did Akkarin and Sonea plan to do once the Ichani knew they were here, Dorrien?' Balkan asked.

'I don't know. They never discussed it.'

Balkan nodded. 'Time for us to leave, then.'

Yet he did not move, and neither did Rothen and Dorrien. They stood and watched as the three Ichani passed between the gates and strode towards the University.

'Then, from below, came a hollow boom.

'What was that?' Dorrien exclaimed.

They leaned over the façade and look down. Rothen caught his breath as he saw the pair on the steps below.

'Sonea! And Akkarin.'

'They've closed the University doors,' Balkan said.

Rothen shivered. The University doors hadn't been closed for centuries.

'Should we call out and let them know we're here?' Dorrien asked quietly.

'Knowing you two are watching could be a distraction to Sonea.' Balkan warned.

'But I can use my powers now. I can help them.'

'So can I,' Rothen added. Dorrien glanced at him in surprise, then grinned.

Balkan frowned. 'I would like to communicate the fight to the rest of the Guild.'

'Dorrien and I will keep out of sight until we have an opportunity to help,' Rothen suggested.

Balkan nodded. 'Very well. Just be mindful of the moment you choose.'

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

The forest surrounding the Guild was striped with golden light. Twigs cracked under Gol's feet so frequently, Cery began to wonder if his second was deliberately trying to make a lot of noise. He glanced back and couldn't help smiling at the big man's strained expression.

'Don't worry,' Cery said. 'I've been here before. We should be able to watch without being seen.'

Gol nodded. They continued on. As Cery saw glimpses of buildings through the trees ahead, he quickened his stride. Gol fell a little behind.

Then Cery saw a figure crouching beside a tree trunk at the edge of the forest. He stopped and signalled to Gol to stay where he was and remain silent.

By the way Savara was cautiously peering round the tree, Cery knew she was anxious to avoid being discovered. Too late, he thought. He crept forward. When he was a few steps away from her, he straightened and crossed his arms.

'We can't seem to stop running into each other, can we?' he said.

It was gratifying to see her jump. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw him.

'Cery.' She shook her head at him disapprovingly. 'It's not wise to sneak up on magicians.'

'Isn't it?'

'No.'

'You've come to see the show, then?'

She smiled crookedly. 'That's right. Join me?'

He nodded. Beckoning to Gol, Cery crouched by the trunk of the other tree. As he saw what lay beyond, he felt his heart sink.

The University doors were closed and Sonea and Akkarin stood on the steps. The three Ichani were less than a hundred paces from the, advancing confidently.

'You and your friends have done well,' Savara murmured, 'if this is all that remains of Kariko's allies. Perhaps you have a chance after all.'

Cery smiled grimly. 'Perhaps we do. We'll just have to see.'

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Sonea blinked as an image of herself and Akkarin, seen from above, entered her mind. From the angle of the view, the watcher must be behind them, on top of the University. She caught a sense of Balkan's personality, but no thoughts or emotions.

—If we can sense this, so can the Ichani.

—Yes, Akkarin replied. Block out the images. They'll distract you.

—But it will alert us to any trick the Ichani try.

—And warn the Ichani of ours.

—Oh. Should you tell Balkan to stop?

—No. The Guild should see this. They might learn—

'Akkarin.'

Kariko's voice echoed across the grounds.

'Kariko,' Akkarin replied.

'I see you've bought your apprentice. Do you intend to trade her life for your life?'

A chill ran over Sonea's skin as the Ichani looked at her. She stared right back, and he smiled maliciously.

'I might consider taking her,' Kariko continued. 'I never liked my brother's taste in slaves, but he did show me that the Guild magicians can be surprisingly entertaining.'

Akkarin slowly started down the steps. As Sonea followed, she took care to stay within the blended magic of their shield.

'Dakova was a fool for keeping me,' Akkarin said, 'but he was always making stupid mistakes. It was hard to understand how a man with such power could have so little grasp of politics or strategy, but I guess that is why he was Ichani – and why he kept me.'

Kariko's eyes narrowed. 'You? I don't think so. If you are a master of strategy, why are you here? You must know you can't win?'

'Can't we? Look around you, Kariko. Where are all your allies?'

As Akkarin and Sonea reached the bottom f the steps, Kariko stopped. He was about twenty strides away.

'Dead, I suppose. And you killed them.'

'Some.'

'You must be worn out, then.' Karkio glanced at the other Ichani, then back at Akkarin. 'What a perfect end to our conquest. I will avenge my brother's death, and at the same time Sachaka will finally have revenge for what your Guild did to our land.'

He lifted a hand, and the other Ichani followed suit. Strikes flashed towards Sonea and Akkarin. She felt magic batter their shield, more powerful than any strike she had encountered before. But their combined shield was stronger than any shield she had created before, thanks to the magic taken from the arena. Akkarin sent a trio of strikes in reply but all curved inwards towards to attack Kariko.

More exchanges followed, and the air hummed with power. As Akkarin continued striking at Kariko and ignoring the other Ichani, the leader frowned. He said something to his companions. They moved closer, leaving only a narrow gap between their shields.

—Strike Karkio from beneath, Akkarin instructed.

As Sonea sent a heatstrike through the earth, Akkarin sent more curving down n Kariko from above. The other Ichani shifted their shields to meet Akkarin's strikes just as the ground began to steam beneath Kariko's feet.

Karkio glanced down, then said something quietly. His companions increased their attack.

—Keep striking at Kariko from all directions.

Kariko appeared to have resigned himself to being the main target. He concentrated on shielding, while the others attacked. Sonea resisted a smile. This was all to her and Akkarin's advantage. Shielding took more power, so Kariko would be tiring faster.

It seemed they would stand and blast each other until one side finally weakened. Then the ground shifted violently beneath her. She staggered and felt a hand grab her arm. Looking down, she saw a dark hole forming below her feet and sensed a disc of power.

—Hold the shield.

She forced her attention back to their barrier, taking the full brunt of the Ichani's attack so that Akkarin could concentrate on levitating. The air was full of grass and dirt and strikes. Akkarin moved them backward, but the shifting area of earth followed them. Through the dirt-filled air, Sonea saw the Ichani marching across the disturbed ground towards them.

Akkarin sent a dozen strikes at the Ichani. At the same time, a dozen weaker ones streaked from the direction of the gates. The Sachakans glanced to the side.

Sonea gasped as she saw the figure standing just inside the gates. Blue robes swirled around the man as he walked forwards.

'Lorlen!' Sonea gasped. But how could that be? Lorlen was dead. Or was he…?

Karkio sent a blast of energy towards the Administrator. It flashed through the magician and struck the gates. The bars of metal a=shattered, filling the street beyond with glowing spears and fragments.

Lorlen had vanished. Sonea blinked. It had been an illusion. Hearing a chuckle, she looked up to see Akkarin smiling grimly. Kariko and his companions looked unimpressed. They resumed their assault with greater ferocity.

Akkarin threw a rain of strikes at Kariko, testing the Ichani's shield. Kariko sent powerful blasts back. Akkarin sent a great net of heatstrike out, curving around to hit Kariko from all sides, just as Sonea had done in her last bout against Regin in the Challenge. She reached inside to judge the amount of power she had remaining; the battle so far had hardly dented the power she had taken from the arena. She increased the strength of the shield as the barrage of attacks continued.

'LOOK TO THE GATES!'

The voice came from the top of the University. Looking up, she saw Balkan on the roof of the building, pointing towards the gates. Spinning around, she took an involuntary step backward as she saw broken and bent black spears flying towards her – the remnants of the gates. They clattered into her shield and fell to the ground. She glanced at Akkarin to see his eyes narrowed in concentration.

—The Ichani are weakening, Akkarin sent.

Sonea looked at the Ichani. Kariko stood straight and smiling. The rest of the Ichani looked no less confident, but the strikes against her shield had weakened.

Akkarin took a step forward, then another. Kariko's face darkened. Sonea followed as Akkarin began to walk towards them. She sent her own strikes at the Ichani and felt a surge of satisfaction as they backed away.

As she felt the soft soil beneath her feet she realised that the shards of the broken gate were inside their shield, and she also thought she saw a glimpse of gold. She grabbed Akkarin's arm and gave them both a strong shield at skin level, and not a moment too soon. A golden knife surged out of the soil towards Akkarin's chest. Sonea felt the knife hit the shield and let out a breath as it dropped away back into the soil.

Sonea heard Kariko growl in frustration.

—I have an idea, but I cannot strike and carry it out whilst holding both these shields

—What do you need me to do?

—Take on the inner shield, then cover your eyes and stop striking when I tell you.

Akkarin poured his power into the inner shield as Sonea reduced her input.

—Ready? NOW!

Sonea closed her eyes and covered her face as she simultaneously turned the outer shield into a bright ball of light and expanded it so that it covered the Ichani as well. The battering of both their shields reduced to nothing as the Ichani instinctively covered their eyes. Using the levitation disc Sonea removed herself and Akkarin from the light shield and back into the dusk, then made the light disappear.

—Uncover your eyes and strike them with all we've got whilst they're blind!

Opening her eyes, Sonea focused everything at Kariko and his allies.

The Ichani leader staggered backwards. For a moment his shield held, then his mouth opened in a silent scream as heatstrike burned through his body. The next man backed away but managed only a few steps before the onslaught of magic shattered his shield and burned through him. She felt a surge of triumph. The last Ichani stood his ground. She felt her power reserves depleting rapidly and she felt a rush of fear as the he began to advance.

—Join our strikes! Akkarin's voice punched through the fear.

She sent out the last part of her magic and watched as it joined with Akkarin's magic. The Ichani's eyes widened as his shield wavered. Then, as the last of her magic flowed out, it fell. Heatstrike tore through him and he crumpled to the ground.

Balkan's mental transmission ended. All was silent. Sonea stared at the three bodies lying before the University. A wave of exhaustion washed over her.

'Sonea!' Akkarin cried out as she crumpled to the ground. He could do nothing to stop her since he was just as exhausted. As Akkarin's arms wrapped around her Sonea turned to look up at him.

'We did it,' she whispered hoarsely, 'we did it.' With shaking hands, Sonea ran her fingers over his face, then leant in and kissed him.